What is a Distribution Priority Area / District of Workforce Shortage?

District of Workforce Shortage (DWS) is a classification system and key mechanism used by the Australian Government Department of Health (Australian Government) to address geographic maldistribution of the Australian medical workforce. A DWS is linked to provisions in the Health Insurance Act 1973, specifically section 19AB which restricts access to Medical Provider Numbers (MPN). To access the Medicare Benefits Scheme, international medical graduates (IMG) must work in a DWS for a minimum period of 10 years from the date of the first medical registration in Australia. The Australian Government will only grant a MPN to an IMG working in a location deemed DWS.

From 1 July 2019, The Australian Government implemented a new health workforce Distribution Priority Area (DPA) classification system which has replaced the DWS Assessment Areas for General Practitioners (GP) and Bonded Doctors.

Instead of using a GP-to-population ratio, the new DPA system takes into account demographics (gender/age) and socio-economic status of patients living in a GP catchment area.

The DPA also applies a number of blanket rules:

• Inner metropolitan areas are automatically deemed non-DPA; 
• Modified Monash (MM) 5 – 7 are automatically deemed DPA; 
• Northern Territory is automatically deemed DPA;

Benchmarks will be used to determine services required in GP catchment areas and will be fixed for three years to allow areas to stabilise their workforce.

A map of Distribution Priority Areas is available at doctorconnect.gov.au (external site).

What this means for GPs

IMGs who specialise in General Practice are required to work in a DPA in order to obtain a MPN.

An area that has been classified as a DPA for GPs has been assessed as not receiving adequate GP services for the needs of that population. For GPs the DPA uses MM2 as the benchmark as it provides a more accurate distribution of the GP workforce.

What this means for Specialists

All specialist medical practitioner services will continue being assessed under the DWS classification system. To determine the DWS status of a location by medical specialty, please refer to doctorconnect.gov.au (external site).

DWS/DPA is bound by federal legislation; therefore, neither the WA Minister for Health nor the Department of Health can intervene in matters relating to the outcome of these classification systems.